Random Thoughts



--I haven't blogged in a LONG time (busy with work), but to get back in the flow, some bullet points seemed in order. Especially given the fun and excitement and energy the NHL trade deadline provides.

--In a few recent games, the Penguins have developed what might be charitably called "bad habits." I might call these habits "dangerous." I'd also call them deadly poison to any hopes of a long post season run. Among things a team that fancies itself a Cup contender shouldn't do in the playoffs:
-Relinquish two goal leads.
-Relinquish three goal leads.
-Rely on your goaltender to save 50 out of 52 shots (no, I don't care how bad the shots were, that's just way too many shots to make your goalie stop).
-Take careless penalties.
-Take mental breaks or vacations for periods of time throughout games.
The Penguins would be advised to stop these bad habits immediately in order to prepare for the postseason. I might like to swat them with a rolled up paper of last year's playoff box scores and say, "Don't!" But, whatever works. Just stop the bad habits and keep winning.

--Fans who read through the above list and take a peek at the standings will no doubt note that the Pens managed to earn points in every game in which they kept doing foolhardy things like falling asleep and relinquishing leads and experiencing mental lapses of varying severity. As much fun as it is to watch a team that's often good enough to win on talent alone, it's also scary. And yeah, sometimes it's scary good. But more often, it's scary bad...scary bad because...you're doing that now...but, in a 7 game series...well, really...Maybe one game you pull that off? But four in seven? You really think that's going to fly? Really?

--I have been spoiled for most of my life as a hockey fan. I was a kid when Mario Lemieux was in his prime. I was a teenager when Jaromir Jagr was in his prime. I got to watch the best player in the world, supplanted by the best player in the world...and now I get to watch 2 of the best players in the world on my same team, yet again? It's almost too good to be true (mind you, I am not asking the fairy tale aspects of my hockey team end any time soon, as I surely appreciate what I get to witness). But Evgeni Malkin has been phenomenal to watch...and how awesome is it that when one of the best players in the world is out of my team's lineup, my team has a replacement who can play at the same otherworldly level? (That's a rhetorical question, but wow....yeah, all I can say is, of course I'm spoiled, and I absolutely love being spoiled.)

--Reading over deadline day deals, it occurred to me that the "new" NHL has changed the landscape. A lot. Players have the opportunity to make a lot more money a lot more quickly than they did in the "old" NHL. While I'm sure this is a topic that will be worthy of further consideration (though preferably minus hand wringing over whatever my Penguins will do with "so much" young talent--I just plan to appreciate it for as long as my team has it, and I advise all hockey fans to do the same), right now I'm just wondering about it in terms of "going for the Cup." In the past, younger, more inexperienced players weren't necessarily expected to be the core players on Cup contenders, and if they were, they were typically extremely talented and supplanted by savvy veterans in significant supporting roles. And yet, with the structure of the new NHL, I'm wondering: How much faster are younger players going to be expected to be THE players? And how much does that have to do with how the game has changed to favor speed and skill? In any case, it's food for future thought. Or another blog post.